01More reasons to sit at Marina Bay

06Five-year plan to rejuvenate the Singapore River

14Planning matters

Urban Planning architectUre conservation ProPerty JUL / AUG 2012

CONTENTS

45 Maxwell RoadThe URA CentreSingapore 069118

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ADVISORY COMMITTEEYap Siew Ling (Chairperson) Marc Boey Fun Siew Leng Han Yong Hoe Richard Hoo Hwang Yu-Ning Ler Seng Ann Ng Lye Hock Seow Kah Ping Jan Seow

EDITORSSerene Tng Serene Tan

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTNur Farhana Mohamed Yusoff

DESIGNGreen House Design + Communications

CONTENTS

01 More reasons to sit at Marina Bay

06 Five-year plan to rejuvenate the Singapore River

1 1 Smarter solutions at Jurong Lake District

12 Sustainable Marina Bay

14 Planning matters

16 Spotlight on sustainable cities

18 Brightening up Geylang Serai

19 Protecting home buyers

PuBLIShED BY

Quirky outdoor benches

at marina bay

COVER

to s i t a t

marina baySleek, cool and quirky sitting around Marina Bay has become more fun with 10 new outdoor benches added along the waterfront promenade. Inspired by water, nature, ships, tongkangs, waves and even endangered animals like the Malayan Tapir, LASALLE College of the Arts (LASALLE) students gave the Bay area a new twist with creatively designed public benches.

More reasons

By Serene Tng

01 JUL AUG 2012

LookoutforthecuteMalayanTapir(namedtAPY),raisingawarenessabouttheendangeredspecies.ThereisalsothestylishVoisel,inspiredbytheelegant,curveddesignofthetongkangs(lightwoodenboats)usedintheearlydaysofSingapore.AndthebeautifulDandelionwithitswavy,golddandelionstalks,celebratesSingaporesreputationasacityinagarden.

ThisinitiativeisacollaborationbetweenLASALLEandURAaspartofURAsongoingMyMarinaBay,MyInspirationprogramme,toencouragestudentsandcommunitygroupstodrawinspirationfromtheBayandtranslateitintoinnovativeideastolivenupthepublicspace.Tendesignswereselectedfromsome40submissionsbasedontheiroriginality,functionality,durabilityandbuildability.

Thebencheswillbeondisplayforuptooneyearatthepromenade.Populardesignscouldbereplicatedforpermanentinstallationalongthewaterfront.FunSiewLeng,URAsGroupDirectorofUrbanPlanning&Designsaid,WearegladtohavethisopportunitytoworkwiththestudentsfromLASALLEonthisdesignproject.MarinaBayisagreatplatformforstudentstoshowcasetheirtalents.Throughthisproject,wehopetocreatesmalldelightsforvisitorstoMarinaBay.

ThestreetfurnitureprojectispartofaseriesofthreeprojectsintheURA-LASALLEcollaboration.TheothertwoprojectsundertakenbyLevelThreestudentsfromLASALLEsDesignCommunicationBA(Hons)programmearethemedfaadedecorationdesignsfortheMarinaBayCityGalleryandoutdoorposterstoreflectthevibrancyofMarinaBay.ThefaadedecorationsandoutdoorpostershavebeeninstalledsinceJuly2012.Theywillberotatedthroughouttheyear.

01

02

02

03

04

05

01taPy

by delicia bee

02 & 03voisel

by robert chow song ling, carolina cancerinadewi, reika lee yun ying, lani diana and luke lim kok yong

04drift wood

by regina kartika, jonathan spaldan paljor, li si yang and ting sen em

05dandelion

by rafaela marsha ciputra

03 JUL AUG 2012

02

04

01

03

04

05

06

01freeform

by khoo jiun yang, nadine jol, de conceicao sarah nicole, jana patricia crus pimentel and shanika jay

02XyZ

by cassandra rosalyn kesuma

03echo

by adeline yeo Xiuyun

04collision Point

by eric chang ee fatt

05all aboard

by muhammad khairul hafiz, siti nurhasanah shariff, manuel mario soliano, huang ying ping and zhuang pei shan

06tide

by chng choon wee alden, aldy setyawan tjandra, chung jiesi jessica, clement dian perdana and handy tjoa

05 JUL AUG 2012

Five-yearplan

torejuvenate

By Arti Mulchand & Chong Wan Ping

theSingaporeRiver

06

The Singapore River has had a long and winding history, with varying fortunes along the way. Now, Singapore River One (SRO), a new not-for-profit, private sector-led organisation, hopes to bring new life to the river by bringing the three quays on its 3 km stretch together with a single vision.

SROsfive-yearbusinessplanistheculminationof18monthsofbrainstorminginvolvingURAandstakeholderscomprisingpropertyownersandbusinessoperators.ThisincludesthepreviousSingaporeRiverOneTaskGroup(SROTG),avoluntaryworkinggroupcomprisingstakeholders,whichwasformedtoprovideinputstothebusinessplan.SROTGalsokick-startedaseriesofprojectssuchastheABetterSingaporeRiverCampaignatBoatQuaytodiscouragetoutingandovercharging.

Intheinitialyears,thefundingfortheSROwillcomefromvoluntarycontributionsbypropertyowners,businessesandresidentsintheSingaporeRiverprecincttogetherwithco-fundingfromtheGovernment.TheURAwillprovideseedfundingforthefirstthreeyearstoallowSROtorolloutinitiativesandprojects.MrNgLang,ChiefExecutiveOfficeroftheURAsays,URAsaimistohelptheSingaporeRiverfullyrealiseitspotentialasapremiermixed-userecreationaldestinationinSingapore.However,thiscannotbedonetop-down,butinclosepartnershipwithbusinessoperatorsontheground.WearehappytobeabletosupportthesettingupoftheSRO,andwelookforwardtoworkingcloselywithittorealiseourvisionfortheSingaporeRiver.

JUL AUG 201207

Oneofourbiggestchallengesistoimplementprojectsthatbenefittheentiredistrictwhatsappropriateforonequaymightnotalwaysbeappropriateforanother,saysMrTabing,adding:WerecognisethatfundingfromtheGovernmentandstakeholdersallowsustooperatewhichmeansallourcardsareonthetableforeverybodytosee.

MrTabingsbackgroundlendshimanedge,hesays.LikeatSRO,hehadtobringtogetherthediversestakeholdersonChicagoslandmarkStateStreetandunitethemaroundprojectsthatbroughtpeopleandmediaattentiontothearea.HehopestobeabletodothesamefortheSingaporeRiver.

Quay considerationsEachofthethreequayshastheiruniquesellingpoints,whichMrTabinghopestocapitaliseon.InBoatQuay,wewanttopromotethehistoryoftheareaandattractbusinesscrowdsfromtheadjacentCentralBusinessDistrict,hesays.InClarkeQuay,wewantthemanyvisitors,especiallyyouths,tolingerlongerandexploretheretail,F&Bandotherofferingsinthearea.AndwewanttopromoteRobertsonQuayasafamily-friendlydestination.

How?Feedbackfromover150face-to-faceinterviews,threesurveysandsixstakeholderforumsindicatedtheneedforsupplementalservicesoverandabovewhattheGovernmenthasalreadydone,whichincludesstepped-upsecurity.Whilestakeholdersfeelthatexistingservicesaregood,theyaspiretowardshigherlevelsofexcellence.SingaporeRiverOneaimstogothatextramile,explainsMrTabing.

TheSROisledbyaBoardcomprising10directorsmadeupofstakeholdersalongSingaporeRiver,withMrWilsonTan,DirectorofCapitaLandRetailManagementPteLtd,atthehelmasProtemChairman.Day-to-dayoperationsisbeingledbyMrTyroneTabing,whomostrecentlyrantheChicagoLoopAlliance,wherehereceivedinternationalacclaimforhisleadershipincreatingdynamicevents,culturalcelebrationsandpublicartinstallations.

Destination for everyoneMrTabinghasaformidabletaskaheadofhim.BasedonthelatestavailabledatafromtheSingaporeTourismBoard,in2009,just18percentoftouriststothecountryvisitedtheSingaporeRiver.Incomparison,closetohalfwenttoOrchardRoad.

Whathehopesistobeabletore-establishtheSingaporeRiverasadestinationinitsownright.TheareaneedsanidentitytocompetewithotherdestinationsinthecitysuchasMarinaBayandOrchardRoad.Currently,thethreequaysareviewedasdiscretedestinations.Wehopeoureffortswillresultintheareabeingviewedasaholisticmixed-usedestinationthatofferssomethingforeveryone,hesays.

Oneofthekeychallenges,though,istheprecinctsdiverserangeofstakeholdersandstakeholderintereststhereare500propertyowners,700businessesand10,000residentswithintheprecinct.Todate,therehasbeennoplatformthatbringsthemalltogether,noracomprehensiveapproachtomanagechallengesandchange,orfutureevolution.

SROalsohopestopresstherefreshbuttonwithnewsignsandheritagemarkerstohelpvisitorsfindtheirwayaround,aswellasadownloadablemobileappthattellsthehistoryoftheriverwhileprovidingdirectlinkstoSingaporeRiverbusinesses.ItisaprospectthatexcitesMsSamiaAhad,53,ownerandchefofCorianderLeaf,whofeelstheapp,particularly,willhelpmorepeoplediscoverhercookingschool-cum-restaurant.CorianderLeafhasbeenatClarkeQuayfornineyears,thoughitssecond-floorlocationmeansittendstodrawthoseintheknow.Wegetmorelocalsbecausethetouristsgenerallyeatwhatsdownstairs.Onlytouristswhodotheirresearchpriortoarrivaldinehere.Themobileappisgoodbecausethenmaybemorepeoplewhocometotheareawillknowaboutus,notjustthroughreviewsonline.

Therearealsoplansinthepipelineforyear-roundeventsalongtherivertokeepthebuzzgoing.WhiletheinitiativewilltakeinspirationfromAmericanexamplessuchastheSanAntonioRiverinCentralTexasandProvidenceinRhodeIslandandMelbourneinAustralia,theideaisnottomimicthembuttoretainSingaporesdistinctidentity.

08

09 JUL AUG 2012

01

tyrone tabing, eXecutive director of sro

02(from left to right)

rainer tenius, general manager of swissotel merchant court; tyrone tabing, eXecutive director of sro;

Jason PoPe, director (owner) of dallas; devin otto kimble, managing director of menu Pte ltd;

ng lang, chief eXecutive officer of ura; lee yi shyan, senior minister of state for national develoPment;

wilson tan, director of caPitaland retail management Pte ltd; Poyan raJamand, director barghest Partners;

mdm fun siew leng, grouP director (urban Planning & design) of ura;

andreas koch, general manager of riverview hotel (keck seng grouP);

tan siong leng, dePuty ceo of ura and PhiliP su, eXecutive director of far east organisation

Celebrating rivers authenticityAdmittedly,someissueswillbehardertotacklethanothers,includingtenantmix,saysMrTabing.SomebusinessownersinClarkeQuayfeelthatitnowhastoomanybarsandclubs,andtoofewrestaurantsandotherbusinessesthatwouldgivetheareaadaytimebuzz.Similarly,BoatQuaybusinessownerslamenttheexistingmix,sayingtherearesimplytoomanyseafoodrestaurants.Itwillmeanhavingtoworkcloselywiththelandlordswhoownthewarehousesandtheshophouses.

Still,MrTabingremainshopefulthatthevariousstakeholderswillcometogethertoensurethesuccessofthisimportantpartofSingaporehistoryanddrawbacknotjusttouristsbutSingaporeansaswell.

CitinghisChicagoexperience,heunderstandsthecompetitiveadvantagethathistory,architectureandculturecanprovide.Imfascinatedbythehistoryofstory-tellingontheRiverandhowtravellersfromdistantlandswouldtellstoriesoftheirjourneysanddiscussissuesofthedaywhileajossstickburned.Itwouldbefantasticifwecouldbringthattraditionbackinamodernway,hesays.IfeelSingaporeansareinsearchofauthenticityandtheRiveroffersit.WeneedtofindwaystoputafreshspinontheRiversauthenticityandcelebratethisrichhistory.

01

02

10

As Singapore continues to grow, it is important to explore new and innovative ways to increase the land capacity, to ensure that Singapore becomes even more liveable, sustainable and resilient.

It is with this in mind that the Ministry of National Development recently announced a call for research proposals in Sustainable Urban Living.

On the hunt for innovative land use solutions

Jurong Lake District a sustainable district that uses resources more efficiently, optimises land, and enhances the quality of life for its workers, residentsand visitors. A grant from IBMs SmarterCities Challenge could help uncoverinnovative ways to further strengthen the goals of making the district even more environmentally-friendly,liveable and inclusive.

EarlierinMarch,JurongLakeDistrictwasselectedasoneoftherecipientsfortheIBMSmarterCitiesChallengegrantfor2012.Launchedin2011,theSmarterCitiesChallengeisathree-year,100-city,US$50millionphilanthropicinitiativethatfundsin-personengagementsbyteamsofIBMexperts,whostudyandmakedetailedrecommendationsaddressinglocalurbanissues.

JurongLakeDistrictwasselectedbasedonthecountrysabilitytoclearlyarticulatestrategicissueswithtangibleimpactonthelivesofcitizens,andwhichcanpotentiallyandreasonablybeactedupon.Alsoconsideredisthenationstrackrecordofinnovativeproblemsolving,andcommitmenttotheuseoftechnologyandopendata.

SoonaftertheagreementbetweentheURA,theEconomicDevelopmentBoard,andIBMwassignedatthesidelinesoftheWorldCitiesSummit2012,ateamofIBMexpertsfromdifferentsmartercitydisciplinescametoSingaporeinJulyforthreeweeks.Aftergaininganin-depthunderstandingoftheplanningobjectivesandaspirationsforJurongLakeDistrict,theexpertswillrecommendpossiblesolutionsthattheURA,theEconomicDevelopmentBoardandpartneragenciescouldconsidertoenhanceeffortstomakethedistrictasmarterbusinessandleisuredestination.

Smarter solutionsatJurong lake districtBy Chye Hui Sze

01Jurong lake district to become

a smarter business & leisure

destination with the ibms smarter

cities challenge grant

02at the agreement signing ceremony

were (from left to right): Jeffrey

rhoda, general manager (global

government and education) of ibm ww;

yeoh keat chuan, managing director

of economic develoPment board;

Peter ho, chairman of ura;

ms Janet ang, managing

director of ibm singaPore;

ng lang, chief eXecutive officer

of ura and ms cordelia chung,

general manager of ibm asean

By investing in urban solutions today, Singapore will be able to better tackle future challenges and share these knowledge and solutions with other cities facing similar challenges of growth.

Details of the grant call can be found at www.ura.gov.sg/sulgrantcall/ Interested parties can submit their proposals by 31 October 2012.

01

02

11 JUL AUG 2012

Sustainablemarina bayFrom more carbon free travel, keeping cool and compact living to green buildings, Marina Bay shows the many creative ways of designing sustainable developments.

PIPE TUNNELCABLE TUNNEL

PNEUMATIC REFUSE PIPE

DISTRICT COOLING PIPE

NEWATER PIPE

POTABLE WATER PIPE

ELECT CABLES

TELCO CABLES

homes, offices and amenities are located togetherformorecompact,convenientliving,reducing possible long distance travelling forresidentsandofficeworkers.

Compact living

Keeping cool

All in one tunnel

Thebaywillhaveeco-friendlybuildingswithnewdevelopmentsrequiredtoachieveaminimumGreenMarkPlatinumorGoldPlusstandard.Thismeansbuildingswillhavefeaturesthatpromote energy and water savings, healthier indoor environments and the introduction of more greenery.

Eco-friendly buildings

Ambientairtemperatureis cooled with shady trees,waterfeaturesandoutdoorfanstomakewalkingalongthepromenadeabreeze.

AllutilitiessupportingtheMarinaBaydevelopmentsarehousedinonecommonservicestunnelthatdistributes water, electricity and telecommunication services.Thisfreesupland,with lessermaintenancedisruptionsontheroads.

12

PIPE TUNNELCABLE TUNNEL

PNEUMATIC REFUSE PIPE

DISTRICT COOLING PIPE

NEWATER PIPE

POTABLE WATER PIPE

ELECT CABLES

TELCO CABLES

Water supply Carbon free

Gardensgreen

Higher levels of greenAllnewdevelopmentshavetooffersomeformofskyrisegreeneryunderURAslandscapereplacementpolicy,takinggreentoawholenewlevel.Thishelpstolower the urban heat island effect and possibly reduce the demand for air-conditioning.

MarinaBarrage,thedambuiltacrosstheMarinaChannelmakesMarinaBaySingaporesfirstfreshwaterreservoirinthecity,adding tosingapores water supply by 10%.

ThelatestGardensbytheBayadds another 100 hectares of lush garden greenery to the bay.Supertreeswithinthegardenharness solar energy for lighting at nightwhilethelakesystemactsasnaturalfiltrationforwaterfromthegardenscatchment,creatingaquatichabitats.

Carbonemission-freetravelisencouragedwithacomprehensivenetworkoftrainstations,undergroundlinksandwalkingpaths.in future, cycling paths and water taxis will offer more options to get around.

13 JUL AUG 2012

How can we get the younger generation to think about Singapores challenges and constraints? How does Singapore balance varying needs within the constraints of our limited land? Land use issues have become increasingly important and even studentscan play a part. URAs latest educational resources will enable students to learn and discuss planning and land use topics in a fun and engaging manner.

SingCity for all levels

Thisdynamicthree-stagegamechallengesstudentstoraceagainsttimeandplantheiridealcitywithinalimitedbudgetandlandspace.Gameparticipantswillneedtobalanceconflictingneeds,suchassocial,economicorhealthneedstocreateamemorablecity.BasedonSingaporescontext,thegameisnowavailableonlineandcanbeplayedanytime,anywhere.TheSingaporeCityGalleryalsofeaturesthegamewhichcanbeplayedbyuptoeightplayersatonetime.

By Sabrina Khoo

14

Created in 2012 by the Urban Redevelopment Authority

In collaboration with Admiralty Primary School

My HoMe, My neigHbourHood, My Country for Upper primary levelswww.singaporecitygallery.sg/primary_lessons_1

Howdoesourenvironmentshapethewaywelive?Howcanweplayapartinimprovingourenvironment?ThisseriesofsuggestedlearningactivitiesandworksheetsofferUpperPrimarystudentsanimmersiveexperienceintounderstandingbasicplanningandurbandesignconsiderationsusedtoguidethedevelopmentofstreets,neighbourhoodsandthecountry.ItwillbroadentheirappreciationandunderstandingoftheirphysicalsurroundingsandenablethemtobetterrelatetoSingaporeslargerchallengesandconstraints.Itencouragescreativethinkingandforstudentstochallengewhattheyseeintheirphysicalenvironment.

ItisapplicableforEnglishandSocialStudieslessons.ItcoversthreeclassroomlessonactivitiesandincludesanoptionalvisittotheSingaporeCityGallery,withaccompanyingworksheets.Acomprehensiveteacherslessonplanisavailable,withspeciallypreparedstudentworksheetsforeveryactivity.ThissetofresourceswasdevelopedtogetherwithAdmiraltyPrimarySchool.TheschoolpiloteditinninePrimaryFourclassesduringEnglishlessons.Bothteachersandstudentsfoundthelearningexperienceenrichingandengaging.Moreschoolshaveindicatedtheirinteresttoofferthislearningexperienceintheirclassrooms.

SingAPore City gALLery WorKSHeetSfor primary & secondary levelswww.singaporecitygallery.sg/worksheets

WhiletheSingaporeCityGallerywasdesignedforself-discovery,themanyexhibitsandinformationmaybeoverwhelmingforschoolsvisitingforthefirsttime.SpeciallydesignedworksheetsforPrimaryandSecondarySchoolsarenowavailabletoenablestudentstogainamorestructuredlearningexperiencefromtheirvisit.Fromknowingwhatacityneedsandmaximisinglanduse,toconservingourheritageanddesigningthecity,theworksheetshelpstudentsunderstandthefundamentalsofplanningandurbandesignstrategiesandconceptsthathelpshapeSingaporesphysicallandscape.

diSCuSSion ArtiCLeS for Upper secondary and tertiary levelswww.singaporecitygallery.sg/worksheets

WhyisthedevelopmentofMarinaBayimportantforSingaporesgrowth?WhatmakesMarinaBayunique?Whatdoessustainabilitymean?HowdoesSingaporeplanforsustainability?TheseadvancedworksheetsencouragestudentstothinkmoreaboutSingaporeschallengesandconstraintsanddiscusskeylanduserelatedprojectsandissues.

ToiletToilet

SofaSofa

Created in 2012 by the Urban Redevelopment Aut

hority

In collaboration with Admiralty Primary School

AlltheresourcesmentionedareavailableontheSingaporeCityGalleryswebsiteatwww.singaporecitygallery.sg.Moreeducationalresourceswillbedevelopedovertime.Togetupdatesonnewresources,workshopsandprogrammesforschools,dosignuptobeonourmailinglist.Ifyouwouldliketocollaboratewithusorhaveideastoshare,youcanemailusatura_gallery@ura.gov.sg.

15 JUL AUG 2012

Spotlight on sustainable cities

By Serene Tng

The focus on creating better cities for the future gained traction with the latest World Cities Summit, a key global Summit on liveable and sustainable cities, held recently in Singapore from 1 to 4 July 2012.

Arecordnumberofmorethan19,000globalleadersanddelegatesattendedfrom478cities.TheWorldCitiesSummitwasheldtogetherwiththeSingaporeInternationalWaterWeekandCleanEnviroSummitSingaporeforthefirsttime,offeringamoreintegrated,widerplatformfor

networkingandexchangeofideasacrosssectors.Leadingindustryleadersandgovernmentofficialsagreedthaturbanchallengescanbeturnedintoopportunities,withcitiesbecomingnewenginesofgrowthandinnovation.Thereisalsoaneedforbetterintegrationacrossurbanplanning,development,governanceandtechnologysolutions,toaddressmorecomplexchallengesinaholisticandefficientway.

01 02

01the mayors forum

02lee kuan yew world city PriZe &

singaPore water lecture

(from left to right:

Prof. kishore mahbubani, chairman

of the PriZe nominating committee;

adrian benePe, commissioner of Parks

& recreation, new york city and

Prof. mark van loosdrecht, tu delft)

16

Partnerships inkedTheSummitsawastrongerbusinessfocuswithanextensivedisplayofindustrysolutionsandasharingofmarketopportunitiesacrossAsia.Severalpartnershipswerealsoinked.SurbanaInternationalConsultantsPteLtdannouncedtheirappointmentbytheRepublicofRwandaforthemasterplanningofKigali,thecapitalcityofRwanda,afirstforaSingaporeurbanplanningcompanyintheRwandanmarket.IBM,URAandtheEconomicDevelopmentBoardsignedthegrantagreementfortheIBMSmarterCitiesChallenge2012forJurongLakeDistrict.Inaddition,agroundbreakingMemorandumofUnderstanding(MOU)wasalsosignedbetweenSingaporesHousing&DevelopmentBoard,ElectricitdeFranceandVEOLIAEnvironnementRechercheetInnovationtodevelopaSystemsModel,tohelpgeneratesustainable,urbanplanningsolutionsfortowns.

InconjunctionwiththeWorldCitiesSummit,threenewpublicationswereproduced.

A+U Magazine (Special Edition)ThisspecialissueoftheA+Umagazinetakesanin-depthlookatSingaporeasthecapitalcityforverticalgreen.ItfeaturesawiderangeofinsightswithexpertviewsonSingaporessolutionstourbandevelopment,water,housing,greenprojectsandMarinaBay.

Cities in Transformation:Lee Kuan Yew World City PrizeThisnew120-pagecoffeetablebookpresentsinspiringandtransformativestoriesoftheLeeKuanYewWorldCityPrizeLaureatesandSpecialMentionsin2010and2012.

Urban TransformationsThisbookshowcasesforthefirsttimeoverseasurbandesignandmasterplanningworksofsixSingaporeanfirms.ItillustrateshowSingaporesrichmasterplanningandurbandesignexpertisehavebeenemployedinplacesasfarasRussia,SouthAmericaandAfrica.

Theincreaseinnumberofpublic-privatepartnershipssignedatthisyearsWorldCitiesSummitreflectsthegrowingimportanceoftheSummitasaplatformfornetworkingandbusinessopportunities,bringinggovernmentandindustryleadersfromaroundtheworldtogether,todiscusschallengesandsharebestpracticesforbuildingliveableandsustainablecitiesofthefuture,saidMrNgLang,ChiefExecutiveOfficerofURA.

Biggest global eventThisthirdeditionoftheWorldCitiesSummitisbyfarthebiggestglobaleventforliveableandsustainablecities.TheWorldCitiesSummitMayorsForum,akeyhighlightoftheSummit,hadthelargestparticipationofover100mayors,morethanhalfofwhomwerenewattendeesfromChina,Russia,IndiaandcountriesfromASEAN,AfricaandSouthAmerica.TheMayorsdiscussedchallengesandinnovativesolutionstobuildingliveablecities.TheWorldCitiesSummitExpofeaturedcutting-edgetechnologiesandbestpracticesfromover28citiesand130companies.

MrKhooTengChye,ExecutiveDirectoroftheCentreforLiveableCitiesadded:Ascitiestodayconsiderwaterandwastemanagementsolutionsinthecontextofliveabilityandsustainability,theSummitwillstrengthenitsroleasanintegratedplatformaddressingdynamicgovernance,masterplanningandleadingurbansolutionsinthefuture.TheWorldCitiesSummitMayorsForum2013willbehostedbyBilbao,Spain,theinauguralLaureateoftheLeeKuanYewWorldCityPrize.ThisisthefirsttimethattheForumisgoingtoanothercity,demonstratingthatitisgainingtractioninternationallyandisgarneringexternalinterest.

TheWorldCitiesSummitisorganisedbytheUrbanRedevelopmentAuthorityandtheCentreforLiveableCities.ThenextSummitwillbeheldin2014.Moreinformationisatwww.worldcitiessummit.com.sg.

17 JUL AUG 2012

With the completion of street enhancement works along Geylang Road, visitors to the Hari Raya bazaar enjoyed a more pedestrian-friendly experience as they pounded the pavements in pursuit of the latest bargains.

Builtatacostof$1.5million,streetimprovementworksintheformofwidenedwalkwaysandbetterstreetinfrastructurehavebeenimplemented.ThisispartofURAsplanstotransformGeylangSeraiintoalivelyculturalhub.Tothatend,a400metre-longfootpaththatstretchesfromtheTanjongKatongRoadjunctiontojustbeforetheGeylangSeraiMarkethasbeenwidenedfrom1.5to3metres.ThiswalkwayformspartofapedestrianmallthatwillbebuiltalongGeylangRoadtoprovidemoregatheringspaceforfestivebazaarsandcommunityevents.

Brighteningupgeylang serai

Fifty-foursmartlamppostshavealsobeeninstalledalongthewidenedfootpathtoenhancestreetinfrastructureforfestivedecorationsandcelebrations.Equippedwitharmsforhangingbannersandhooksforfestivelights,thesemulti-purposelamppostseliminatetheneedforinstallingsupportcolumnsforfestivelighting.Eachsmartpolehastwopermanentpowerpointsoneatthetoptopowerfestivelightingandoneatthebottomtosupplyelectricitytotemporarybazaarstallsnearby.

Asanaddedtouch,thelamppostslocatedonbothsidesoftheroadaredecoratedwithseraiorlemongrassinspiredmotifs,anodtoitsnamesakeandthehistoricalsignificanceofGeylangSeraiasoneoftheoldestMalaysettlementsinSingapore.

GeylangSeraiispartofPayaLebarCentral,aprecinctwhichhasbeenearmarkedintheMasterPlan2008tobedevelopedintoacommercialcentrewithadistinctculturalidentity.

By Nur Farhana

the widened walkway and smart Poles are Part of

uras vision to liven uP geylang serai

18

Shelter or housing is a basic need that is commonly associated with ones personal well-being and quality of life. Most people aspire to own a piece of property by a particular stage of their lives. As such, property features prominently in any governmental policy and has an important role to play in the overall economic and social stability of the country.

Singaporerankshighlywhenitcomestoouroverallhomeownershiprate.Inacity-stateofjustover700sqkm,about88percentofourpopulationhasapermanentroofovertheirheads,whetheritispublicorprivatehousing.Hence,newsrelatedtohousingortherealestateindustryisusuallyoneofthehottesttopicsdiscussedonlineandoffline,byallsegmentsofsociety.

Protecting home buyersBy Chia I-Ling (Council for Estate Agencies) and Serene Tan

Inthelastfewyears,thegovernmenthassteppedupcollectiveeffortstocreateastableandsustainablepropertymarket.Morenotably,moreefforthasbeenmadetoeducateandprotectconsumersonallfronts.Skylinerevisitssomeofthekeymovesputinplacetoempowerhomebuyersinthelast18months.

Enhancing transparency for home buyersURAimplementedimportantchangestotheHousingDevelopersRulesinApril2012thatwillrequiredeveloperstobemoretransparentwiththeinformationgiventopotentialbuyers.

Tohelppotentialhomebuyersmakebetterinformeddecisionsontheirpurchases,developerswillneedtoprovideascaledunitfloorplananddetailedbreakdownofthestratafloorarea,includingthesizesofindividualbedrooms,kitchen,diningarea,balconies,andprivateenclosedspaces.

Developerswillalsohavetodisclosetheirtrackrecordinrealestatedevelopment.AlltheseinformationwillbegiventohomebuyersbeforetheissueoftheOption-to-Purchase.Foranychangestotheapprovedplansandspecificationsoftheunits,andsubstantivechangestothe

19 JUL AUG 2012

commonpropertyinthehousingproject,developerswillhavetoseekthehomebuyersconsentbeforeproceedingwiththechanges.ControlsanddeadlineshavealsobeenputinplacetoensurethatdevelopersissuetheOption-to-Purchaseandhandoverthekeystohomebuyersinatimelymanner.

Toavoidanymisleadinginformationbeingpublishedacrossvariousmedia,existingcontrolsonadvertisementsinnewspapersandsalesbrochureswillbeextendedtoadvertisementsonwebsites.Someofthemandatoryinformationincludestheexpecteddateofvacantpossessionandlegalcompletion,andthedateofbuildingplanapproval.

Otherproposedchangesincludenewguidelinesonthesettingupofshow-flatstoensurethattheyaccuratelydepictthehousingunitstobebuilt,andthepublicationoftransactedpricesonaweeklybasis.URAisfinalisingtheproposedregulatorychangesandthenewregulationswillbeimplementedinduecourse.

URAswebsiteprovidesverycomprehensiverealestateinformationtofacilitatedevelopers,propertyownersandthegeneralpublicinmakinginformeddecisionsonlanddevelopment,propertypurchasesandleasing.Thisincludespropertymarketupdates,informationontransactionsandrentalsofprivateresidentialproperties,pricesofunitssoldbydevelopersandthesupplyofprivateresidentialprojectsinthepipeline.MuchoftheinformationisalsoavailablethroughURAsmobileapplicationson-the-go.

Transforming the estate agency industry Singaporespropertytransactionsamounttotensofbillionsofdollarsayear.FormanySingaporeans,purchasingahomeisprobablythelargestsingleinvestmenttheywillevermakeandhence,itisimportantthattheyaregiventherightadviceandservicewhenmakingsuchinvestments.

SinceitsinceptioninOctober2010toraisetheprofessionalismoftherealestateagency,theCouncilforEstateAgencies(CEA)hassteppedupeffortstoprotectconsumerslookingtoenterthepropertymarket.Theyhaveputinplaceenhancedlicensingconditionsforestateagents,havingsalespersonsregistered,regulatingthewayestateagencyworkisconducted,andcarryingoutdisciplinaryactions.

Since1January2011,allrealestateagentsandsalespersonsarerequiredtopassregulatoryexaminationsandobtainalicenceorregistrationbeforetheyareallowedtoconductanyrealestateagencywork.TheCEAwilltakeenforcementactionagainstagentsorsalespersonswhodonotmeetthisrequirement.IndustryprofessionalsarealsorequiredtocompletesixhoursoftrainingannuallythroughCEAsContinuingProfessionalDevelopmentschemetokeepabreastofthelatesttrendsinrealestate.

Besidesthese,theCEAhascomeupwithservicesandmaterialstohelpconsumers.Chiefamongthemisapublicregisteroflicensedestateagentsandregisteredsalespersonssothathomebuyerscancheckiftheindividualstheyaredealingwithare,forexample,registeredwiththeCEA.Formsoragreementsusedforthesaleorleaseofresidentialpropertieswerealsostandardisedtoprotecttheinterestsofbothconsumersandsalespersons.

TheCEAhasalsoreleasedaguideofferingtipstohomebuyersonhowtodealwithrealestatesalespersons.Theguideclearlychartsouttheresponsibilitiesofeachparty,aswellasactionstotakewhenadisputearises.

Collective efforts TheCEAandURAworkverycloselyasbothagencieshavesomecomplementaryobjectivessuchasenhancingtheefficiencyoftherealestatesector.WhentheCEAintroducedthePracticeGuidelinesonEthicalAdvertisinginJune2011,bothagenciescoordinatedtheirregulatorypoliciesandenforcementactionforgreatersynergy.Aspartofthenewguidelines,salespersonscouldnolongerincludetermslikespecialistorexpertsintheirpublicitymaterials,ormakecoldcallsandsendmessagestoconsumersfrom10.00pmto9.00am.

URAparticipatesinCEAsindustryplatformstoupdateonpoliciesrelatedtotheprivate,commercialandindustrypropertysectors.AttheCEAsinauguralKeyExecutiveOfficerSeminarinOctober2011,theURAsharedonthetopicofenhancingtransparencyintheprivateresidentialmarket.Earlierthisyear,itconductedaseminaradvisingsalespersonsonthedosanddontswhileapplyingtochangetheuseofacertainproperty.

ThelatestcollaborationwastheCEA-URAjointcircularissuedinJune2012toremindbothestateagentsanddevelopersorbuildingownersoftheirresponsibilitiesinprovidingaccurateinformationontheuseofthepropertiestoprospectivebuyers.Itunderlinestheallowableusesofindustrialspace,dutiesofestateagentsorsalespersonsinrespectofadvertisements,roleofdevelopers,andactionsagainstestateagentsorsalespersonsandunauthoriseduses.

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Vibrancy in the real estate sectorAvibrantrealestatesectorreliesontheintegrityandprofessionalismofmultipleparties,includingestateagentsandsalespersons.Byworkingcloselytogether,allstakeholderscontributetothedevelopmentoftheindustryandinstillingstrongerpublicconfidenceinit.HomebuyerscanonlystandtogainfrommoretransparencyinthemarketandactiveinvolvementbytheURAandCEAtoempowerthemwithinformationtomakejudiciousinvestments.

21 JUL AUG 2012

To make Singapore a great city to live, work and play in.

Engaging youths through ProjecTRIP

SincethereturnoftheformerrailwaylandstoSingaporelastyear,theRailCorridorhassparkedwidespreadpublicinterest.Spanningthelengthofthecountryfromnorthtosouth,ithasthepotentialtobecomeasignaturepublicspaceandanextraordinaryfeatureofSingaporeslandscapeinfuture.ManypeoplehavecomeforwardwithinterestingideasandproposalsonthefutureuseofthelandsandasignificantnumberofideasweresubmittedbystudentsinURAsrecentJourneyofPossibilitiesIdeasCompetition.

URAsetupProjecTRIP,astudentengagementprogrammetoraiseawarenessamongouryouths.TheprogrammeaimstohelpsecondaryschoolstudentsarticulatetheiraspirationsonhowtheCorridorcanbemeaningfullydevelopedtomeettheirneedsandthatofsocietys.ProjecTRIPfeaturesinteractiveworkshops,creativeactivitiesandavarietyofprogrammestoempowerthestudentsinbuildingtheirvisionsfortheRailCorridor.

WehopetogrowacommunityofeducatorsandstudentswhowouldliketousetheRailCorridorasaspringboardtolearnaboutSingaporespastandpresent,andalsothepossibilitiesitmaypresentforallSingaporeansinthefuture.FormoreupdatesonProjecTRIP,checkouthttp://www.ura.gov.sg/railcorridor/projectrip/